In the 1990s, when finance was dominated by men, Samah Moustafa chose to build her career in the field. With discipline, consistency, and resolve, she maneuvered through complex, obstacle-laden environments, absorbed valuable lessons, and rose steadily into senior leadership. Today, as Group Chief Financial Officer and Financial Expert at Go Behavioral, she makes decisions that influence the quality of care delivered to children and families. She also ensures that systems, processes, and people are aligned to deliver long-term value and organizational stability.
Leadership Style Shaped by Early Experiences
In 1997, Samah began her career in Egypt’s finance sector. “Entering that environment required more than technical knowledge,” she recalls. “It required resilience, discipline, and the ability to consistently prove my value.”
Samah often found herself in situations where expectations were high, but support was limited. These circumstances pushed her to develop a strong sense of accountability early in her career.
Over time, she realized that growth is not defined by circumstances but by consistency and performance. According to her, she learned to stay focused under pressure, navigate complex environments, and maintain clarity even in the most challenging situations. Her current leadership style has been shaped by these early experiences. She has adopted a structured, disciplined, and result-oriented style.
“My past experiences continue to influence how I approach decisions, manage teams, and build systems today,” Samah says. “They also gave me the confidence to operate in international environments later in my career.”
Important Lesson: Structure Needed for Growth
A veteran of the industry, Samah has gained valuable insights over the years. One of the most important lessons she has learned is that growth without structure can create more challenges than it does success.
She recalls that in the initial phase of her career, she saw how rapid expansion without proper systems led to inefficiencies and operational issues. “This experience shaped my approach to leadership,” she says. She learned that building strong financial and operational foundations is essential before scaling.
Samah explains that structure provides clarity, control, and consistency, and without it, growth becomes difficult to sustain.
“This lesson continues to guide my work today, especially in environments that require rapid expansion across multiple regions and operational models,” she points out.
Career’s Major Turning Point
In 2023, Samah joined Go Behavioral. For her, this marked a major turning point in her career, as it shifted her perspective on finance from being primarily operational to being deeply connected to human impact.
“At Go Behavioral, financial decisions are not isolated,” she points out. “They directly influence the quality of care provided to children and families.”
For example, when strong financial and operational systems were put in place, the organization could expand across multiple locations while maintaining consistent service delivery. This experience made Samah realize that finance enables growth in a way that supports real outcomes, not just controls costs or manages budgets.
It reinforced her belief that financial leadership must balance performance with purpose. “Sustainable growth is not just about expansion,” Samah points out, “it is about ensuring that systems, processes, and people are aligned to deliver long-term value and stability.”
Brief Introduction to Go Behavioral
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Deena Moustafa, a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Go Behavioral was built on a vision to transform autism therapy into something more compassionate, personalized, and impactful. What started as one small clinic has since grown into a trusted name across California and Florida.
Go Behavioral’s guiding principle is: everything begins and ends with clients. It relies on evidence-based ABA practices. In addition to that, it goes beyond the science by placing equal emphasis on trust, consistency, and meaningful relationships. Whether support is delivered at home, in school, in clinics, or in the community, its therapists are committed to creating real and lasting change.
Go Behavioral’s mission is to empower individuals with special needs and their families to reach their potential by providing personalized, evidence-based services that promote independence and well-being.
Leading in High-Pressure, Uncertain Environments
As Group Chief Financial Officer and Financial Expert at Go Behavioral, Samah manages multi-country operations. It is a role that, she says, demands discipline, structure, and clear prioritization. To stay focused, she relies on organized planning and a structured workflow.
According to Samah, she breaks down complex responsibilities into manageable steps to ensure that both short-term tasks and long-term goals are clearly defined. This allows her to maintain clarity even in high-pressure situations.
“Additionally, I prioritize consistency in execution,” Samah says. “Even small daily structures help maintain stability across large and complex operations.”
As a leader, she frequently encounters periods of uncertainty. To deal with that, she taps into clarity, communication, and alignment. She focuses on ensuring that teams understand their roles, responsibilities, and objectives. Samah believes that when expectations are clearly defined, teams can perform with confidence, even in changing environments.
She also considers accountability crucial during challenging times. She explains that this ensures each team member understands how their work contributes to the organization’s overall goals.
“And by maintaining alignment across departments,” Samah adds, “we ensure that even during periods of change, the organization continues to operate effectively and efficiently.”
Relying on Data, Clarity, and Long-term Thinking
In the leadership position that she holds, Samah is often faced with difficult decisions. Whenever that happens, she relies on clarity, data, and long-term thinking. “In fast-growing environments, there is often pressure to act quickly,” she says, “but I prioritize sustainability over short-term gains.”
For instance, when expanding into new regions, she focuses first on building strong financial controls, payroll systems, and compliance frameworks. She explains that these elements create a stable foundation that allows the organization to grow without unnecessary risk.
Additionally, she evaluates decisions based on operational impact, ensuring that growth does not compromise efficiency or service quality. “This balanced approach allows for confident decision-making even in complex situations,” Samah points out.
Aligning Strategies with the Organization’s Mission
Samah integrates finance into every aspect of decision-making to ensure alignment between organizational strategies and the organization’s mission. Under her leadership, finance is not treated as a separate function. Samah points out that finance is embedded within operations, planning, and strategy. At Go Behavioral, this means that budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning are always aligned with the organization’s mission of delivering high-quality care. Every financial decision is evaluated based on its impact on performance and service delivery.
Samah explains that this approach allows finance to act as a strategic driver. It ensures that growth supports operational efficiency and long-term impact while maintaining financial discipline, she adds.
A Major Milestone
When Samah joined Go Behavioral, it was a small organization with fewer than ten employees. It primarily operated through home-based services. Since then, the organization has grown into an international entity with over 300 employees, multiple clinics across California, expansion into Florida, and operations in Germany, Egypt, and Dubai.
For Samah, contributing to the development of financial systems that supported this level of growth was a major milestone. “This experience demonstrated the importance of strong systems in enabling sustainable expansion across regions,” she says.
Supporting Long-term Success
At Go Behavioral, Samah aims to build a culture based on accountability, clarity, and long-term thinking. According to her, creating an environment in which sustainable growth is consistent requires strong systems and aligned teams.
Leadership is commonly associated with driving results. There is no denying that this is a leader’s primary responsibility in the corporate world; however, Samah says that leaders must also create structures that allow others to succeed.
“By focusing on stability and clarity,” she adds, “I aim to support long-term success across the organization.”
Investment in Continuous Learning
Samah believes that continuous learning is the most important long-term investment in the finance field. She points out that it is essential in a global environment where financial systems and regulations are constantly evolving. She stays informed, which allows her to adapt quickly, make sound decisions, and manage complexity across multiple regions.
Continuous learning ensures that Samah remains effective as a leader and is able to respond to changing conditions with confidence.
Impressive Shift in Behavioral Health Sector
Behavioral health refers to a person’s mental and emotional well-being, comprising behaviors and habits closely connected to overall physical health.
Samah notes that in recent years, the behavioral health sector has seen an increased focus on integrated care and long-term outcomes. This shift has impressed her most. She points out that it reflects a deeper understanding of patient needs and supports more sustainable healthcare models.
She also points out that instead of focusing only on short-term results, the industry is now emphasizing consistency, quality, and long-term impact. She highlights that this aligns closely with their approach at Go Behavioral, where they prioritize both growth and the quality of services provided.
Inspiring the Next Wave of Women Leaders
Men continue to outnumber women in leadership positions in the field of finance. Samah advocates for more women to step into leadership roles. As a role model, she leads by example, demonstrating that leadership is built through persistence, discipline, and consistency.
“Challenges are part of any career,” she points out, “but they do not define one’s outcomes.” For Samah, the defining trait of a strong woman leader is the ability to keep moving forward with focus and determination, overcoming obstacles.
“My journey reflects that growth is possible with the right mindset and commitment,” she says.
Advice for Emerging Finance Professionals
Finance is a highly competitive field. Samah has a few pieces of advice for emerging finance professionals that can help them thrive in the field. First, she encourages them to focus on fundamentals while understanding the broader business environment.
When finance is mentioned, numbers are what come to mind. However, Samah points out that the field also involves supporting decision-making, managing risk, and building systems that enable growth. She advises emerging financial professionals to combine technical expertise with strategic thinking and consistency.
“Finance is not just about numbers,” Samah underscores, “it is about building systems that support growth, stability, and real impact.”